I was absolutely entranced by Horizon Zero Dawn when I started playing it. I recall seeing a preview at a gaming convention a year or two prior to its release and thinking "that's not for me", not being a huge fan of many games reliant on a shooting mechanic, but when I watched streamers enjoying it the week it finally was released, I knew I'd have to play it as well. I devoured the game once I started, playing every spare minute I had until I'd finished. Then I went back and played more, collecting trophies and making sure I'd found every campfire, every spawning ground, and cleared every area populated by enemies. I got 100% and then restarted on New Game + mode again when it launched so I could enjoy it all over again.
I found the lodge trials to be tedious, and must admit to being frustrated at having to hunt and hunt for places where I could climb, having watched with envy as those playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild were able to climb anything they could see. But my weapons never broke and I wasn't constantly having to change outfits as the weather changed, so I took my lumps and kept going. It didn't detract from the gameplay for me, it was just another obstacle to climb over and put behind me (as long as I found the yellow grip points to do so).
This game was amazing, not just for the actual playthrough mechanics, but for the story. As the history of the world unraveled and Aloy's story became clear, I was moved by everything she had to go through, and what those before her went through to ensure the world made it as far as it did. I truly hope it gets a full sequel game, not just the DLC released so far, because I want to see what more we can find. The planet is big, surely there are other areas to explore and find new things.